Golf shaft



Set, 18, '1934.i R. H. cowDERY Y. 1,974,389'

GOLF SHAFT l 'Filled oct. 3, 1930 i si zo M20 4 INVENTUR. zz 3. Poerz f1. Cown/erg ATToRNEY v ZSV Patented sept. 1s, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFiCE GOLF SHAFT Application October 3,

6 Claims.

My invention relates to shaft for golf clubs and relates more particularly to tubular metallic shafts preferably of steel or like materials.

Tubular steel shafts for golf clubs have been commonly in use for a number of years and almost uniformly the effort has been to approximate in such tubular steel shafts the properties of resillency and balance previously and concurrently achieved in hickory shafts of the best quality.

I have found, however, that certain advantageous properties relating to the balance and resiliency of the shaft are susceptible of being achieved only in specially designed tubular shafts embodying the principles of my present invention, .15 since if it were attempted to embody the present invention in a hickory shaft, the necessary proportioning vof the shaft to secure theA results sought by the shaft of my present invention would result in a construction so frail as to be impractical to meet the exigencles of hard usage in practical golf playing.

An object ofmy invention, therefore, is to provide an improved shaft for golf clubs.

Another object-of my invention is to provide an improved golf club shaft susceptible of being manufactured from tubular steel material at a reasonable cost'. Another object of my invention is to provide an improved golf club shaft susceptible of being manufactured from tubular steel material according to the process disclosed in my co-pending applications Serial No. 314,650, filed October 24, 1928, and Serial No. 447,878, led April 28, 1930.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved golf shaft having an improved distribution of its variably resilient portions operative during the making of a playing golf stroke.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved golf shaft having an improved distribution of weight and resiliency of its different longitudinally disposed parts.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which my invention appertains from the following description of an embodiment of my invention in which reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, illustrating the said embodiment.'

Referring'to the drawing:

illustrates in elevational view a golf club, with a golf club shaft shown therein, embodying the principles of my invention.

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are transverse sectional views taken respectively on the lines 2-2, 3 3, and r4 4, of the shaft shown in Fig. 1, proceeding re- 1930, Serial No. 486,230

spectively from the end of the shaft having great` est diameter towards and to the end of thel shaft of least diameter. The Figures 2 to 4 inclusive are in enlarged view-relative to that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a view in outline of thev shaft of Fig. l modified by increasing the transverse dimensions of the shaft four times so as to visually magnify the variation in transverse dimensions of the shaft in two different portions proceeding longitudinally of the shaft. The view of Figure 5 is to the same scale as the views of Figures 2 to 4 inclusive.

Fig. 6 is a side elevationalview, enlargedto approximately full size, of a fragment of the shaft of Fg. 1, this view being a short'section of the shaft above and below the line of section 3-3 indicated in Fig. 1, the section being shown in Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, the shaft of my invention is vpreferably of seamless steel tubular material, being an integral lengthof steel tubing comprising preferably a handle portion composed of stepped vsections such as the three sections 2, 3, and 4, of progressively less and less diameters respectively, an intermediate next adjacent rapv idly reduced section 5 composed of the integrally joined successively longitudinally disposed stepped sections 6 to 13 inclusive, followed substantially immediately by integrally joined successively longitudinallydisposed stepped sections 14 to 19 inclusive, and this section being immediately succeeded toward the smaller end of the shaft by the still further reduced club head supporting end section 20.v

The section 20 of the shaft is preferably of greatest length, and the sections 2, 3, and 4, of which one or more are preferably provided, are aggregatively of preferably shorter length than the portion 20, but in any event. and more important, are each of considerably greater length than the average length of the sections 14 to 19 inclusive, and the average length of the sec. tions 14 to 19 inclusive are preferably of greater length than the average length of the sections 6 to 13 inclusive.

I am aware that other expedients may be employed whereby, in the free portion of the shaftintermediate the hand grip 21 and the head 22A and disposed nearest the hand grip, a relativelyv rapid reduction of shaft diameter may be obtained, but I preferably achieve this result as in the embodiment of my invention illustrated, bythe variations in lengths of the stepped sections and their longitudinal placement relative to each other, although within the purview of operative effect without'providing any Vstepped portions, by maldng the portion of the shaft con-Y taining the sections 6 to 19 inclusive, of regularly' curved or'otherwise tapered form; I find-however, that superior properties relating to the cushioning of the vibrations traveling longitudi;

rnally of the shaft from the club head 22 toward the handle 21 will be had in the stepped shaft shown; at the'same time such a shaft is susceptible of being inexpensively manufactured according to the principles of my aforesaid copending applications, whereby a relatively highly tempered steel material may be employed, which would be substantially impractical for use Y in shafts made according to other known processes, by which the desired tapered form could be achieved. Y 'Y Y The section 20 may be either of straight cylindrical form or may be of progressively decreased vdiameter proceeding from the next larger section 19 toward its end 23.

The hand grip 21, and the head 22, by the hosel 24, are affixed to the larger and smaller ends of thefshaft, respectively, in any suitable manner, such for instance as is described in my co-pending applications Serial No. 314,650, filed October 24, 1928, and Serial No'. 447,878, led April 28,1930.

lso in manufacturing the shaftV according to the processY described in my above said pending applications, the lateral Walls of 'the shaft are progressively thickened proceeding from the larger end of the shaft towardthe smaller end thereof, as indicated by the wall portion 25 in Fig. 2, taken at the shaft section 2 of largest diameter; and the wall portion 26, Fig. 3, taken wall portion 27, taken at the seition 20 at the line of section 4--4 of Fig. 1. 'Y

The shaft described above operates according When .the ball is struck, the section 2C- of least diameter being `much longer than in the shaft of my prior Patent,

1,670,530, dated May 22, 1928, yields throughout its length to a more or less uniform degree until the section 19 is reached and thereafter for the rest of the shaft proceeding towards the larger end from the section 20, there will be progressively less and less yielding, until very rapidly the yield at the section 4 will be progressively negligent.

I find that a shaft constructed as above described tends to effect relative movement of the club head 22 about a point higher up on the shaft than is the case With the shaft of my prior patent and therefore effects a reduction in the vertical spinning transmitted to the ball when the ball is struck at its middle portion equatorially considered when resting on the ground. Also the section 20 canbe of greater diameter than the smallest section of much shorter length provided for in the shaft illustrated as an embodiment in my said prior patent.

Other advantageous qualities of distribution of weight and balance, diiilcult to describe but very -noticeable by the user of the two shafts, are had when the two shafts are compared in play.

my invention, I contemplate securing the same Having thusdescribed my invention in a specific embodiment, I am aware that numerous departures may be made froxn that herein illustrated and described, but Without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim: f

1. A golf shaft in the form of a metallic tube, intermediateA portions of which comprise a plurality of longitudinally disposed stepped sections of progressively less and less diameter proceeding from the handle end toward the club s'upporting end of the shaft the diameter'of the shaft being contracted an equal amount at each step, the relative length 'of the stepped sections of larger diameter being less than the next succeeding sections of less diameter to provide a portion of rapidly changing resilience.

2. A golfclub shaft in the form of a metallic tube, intermediate portions of which comprise a plurality of longitudinally disposed stepped sections of progressively less and less diameter proceeding from thehandle end toward the club supporting end of the shaft the diameter of the shaft being contracted an equal amount at each step, the relative length of the stepped sections of larger diameter being less than the next succeeding sections o f less diameter, and a section of i substantially uniformly decreasing diameter at least as long as the aggregate length of the stepped sections.

3. A golf club shaft in the form of a metallic tube the medial portion of which, throughout a substantial portion of the lengtl of the shaft, is of a generally concave conoidal form, the walls of said shaft being progressively thickened as their ,Y f diameter is progressively decreased toward one at the sectlon 14, Figs. 1, 4, and 5, -and the end of the shaft.

4. A golf club shaft in the form of a metallic tube the major portion of the length of which is of concave conoidal form, said shaft having a club end portion of cylindrical form constituting a continuation of the smaller end of the concave conoidal portion thereof and of the same diameter as. the smaller end of said conoidal portion, the walls of said shaft being progressively thickened as their diameter is progressively decreased toward one end of the shaft.

5. A golf club shaft in the form of a metallic tube the major portion of the length of which is of concave conoidal form, said shaft having a handle end portion of lcylindrical form constituting a continuation of the larger end of the concave conoidal portion thereof and of the same diameter as the larger end of said conoidal portion, the Walls of said shaft being progressively thickened as their diameter is progressively decreased' toward one end of the shaft.

6. A Yshaft or rod for sporting implements in the form of a metallic tube the medial portion of which, throughout a substantial portion of the length of the shaft or rod, is of a generally concave conoidal form, the walls of said shaft or rod being progressively thickened as their diameter is progressively decreased toward one end of the shaft or rod.

ROBERT H. `COWDERY.

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